---
title: "Scandal at the VACS: why the defense of Iryna Mudra by Masay Nayem's firm sparked a resonance in Ukrainian society"
description: "Masay Nayem's law firm has taken on the defense of former Deputy Head of the Office of the President Iryna Mudra at the VACS in the \"Forrest Gump\" case. A scandal erupted on social media over the discrepancy with the lawyer's earlier statements about refusing to handle cases of corrupt officials."
date: 2026-08-23T12:13:43.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/nayem-mudra-vacs-forest-gump-ethical-scandal
tags: [forest-gamp, vak-s, nabu, masay-nayem, irina-mudraya, ukraine-corruption, office-of-president, legal-ethics]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Scandal at the VACS: why the defense of Iryna Mudra by Masay Nayem's firm sparked a resonance in Ukrainian society

![Masiy Nayem and Iryna Mudra: collage with the lawyer's portrait and a VAKS court scene illustrating the scandal over Iryna Mudra's defense](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/23/nayem-mudraya-vaks-forest-gamp-eticheskiy-skandal/nayem-mudraya-vaks-forest-gamp-eticheskiy-skandal-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Masay Nayem's law firm "Miller" officially took on the defense of Iryna Mudra at the VACS in the "Forrest Gump" case
- A scandal arose on social media over the contradiction between Nayem's current practice and his earlier public statements about refusing to defend persons accused of embezzling budget funds
- The SAP is demanding that Mudra be detained with an alternative bail of 150 million UAH; the continuation of the hearing is scheduled for 24 August 2026
- Nayem justifies his position with the constitutional right to a defense and the presumption of innocence

The special NABU operation in the "Forrest Gump" case, carried out on 19 August 2026, led to a series of hearings at the High Anti-Corruption Court (VACS) and to an unexpected ethical conflict within the Ukrainian legal and civic community. The central event became the defense of the former Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, who, according to the prosecution, is accused of participating in an organized group and aiding in the legalization of funds worth 150 million UAH. The law firm "Miller", co-founded by the well-known lawyer and former Ukrainian Armed Forces veteran Masay Nayem, officially took on the client's defense, instantly sparking widespread discussion on social media and in the media.

### Chronology of key events

According to open sources, on 19 August 2026 NABU officers carried out search measures at Iryna Mudra's location, after which she was served with a formal suspicion. On the same day, the Head of the Office of the President signed a decree dismissing Mudra from her position. On 21 August, the VACS considered the issue of choosing a preventive measure for another figure in the case — former People's Deputy Herman Halushchenko (in an alternative version — Mykytasiy), setting bail in the amount of 30 million UAH. During the same hearing, audio materials were played in which, according to the prosecution, the figures discuss their interaction with representatives of the Office of the President. On 22 August, a hearing in Mudra's case took place at the VACS, at which her defense was represented by Masay Nayem's team. The continuation of the consideration of the preventive measure for Mudra is scheduled for 24 August 2026.

### Positions of the parties: the right to defense versus public expectations

The prosecution (NABU and the SAP) is demanding that Iryna Mudra be detained, with an alternative bail of 150 million UAH — an amount that, according to the prosecution, was the object of legalization through state banks. The defense, in turn, stated at the 21 August hearing about the deterioration of the client's health, citing "medical issues", which led to a recess. The lawyers also filed a motion to restrict press access to part of the hearings, citing the need to disclose "sensitive data". Masay Nayem, commenting on the criticism directed at him, emphasized the constitutional right of every person to a defense and the presumption of innocence, noting that "guilt is established exclusively by the court". At the same time, he acknowledged that among his firm's clients there are people he would "personally never invite to dinner".

### Contradictory data

The main contradiction around which the public discussion revolves lies in the discrepancy between Masay Nayem's earlier public statements and his current professional activity. In one of his interviews, the lawyer stated that he would "never take on cases where budget money is stolen". At the same time, his law firm took on the defense of a person accused of aiding in the legalization of budget funds. Nayem's supporters point out that the right to a defense is unconditional and cannot be conditioned on the lawyer's public image, and also that until a verdict is delivered, the accused is considered innocent. Critics, on the contrary, emphasize that it is precisely the public statements about a "principled position" that shape the audience's expectations, and their violation is perceived as a breach of trust. As of the time of preparing this material, no court decision on the merits of the charges has been issued, and both positions remain within the framework of public discussion without a final legal assessment.

### The broader context: the "Forrest Gump" case and its consequences

The "Forrest Gump" case covers, according to the prosecution, a number of figures, including representatives of the business community and former state officials. On 21 August 2026, the VACS chose a preventive measure for the head of the "Metrostroi" company, Elizarov, sending him into custody. In parallel, society continues to discuss how the judicial system handles cases related to high-level corruption. A survey conducted by the publication Focus showed that a significant part of Ukrainian society expects strict measures against persons accused of corruption, which creates additional pressure on the judicial process. For Ukraine's Western partners, the key issue remains not only the identification of violations, but also the extent to which the judicial system is able to ensure openness and predictability when hearing cases involving high-ranking officials.

### What's next

On 24 August 2026, the VACS plans to continue the hearing on the issue of choosing a preventive measure for Iryna Mudra. The court's final decision will determine the further procedural strategy of both the defense and the prosecution. The public discussion around Masay Nayem's participation in the defense will likely remain relevant until a verdict is delivered, as it touches on issues of professional ethics, the freedom of the bar, and the limits of the acceptable in the public statements of lawyers who position themselves as human rights defenders.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [VACS to continue the hearing on choosing a preventive measure for Mudra on Monday, 24 August](https://ru.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1195081.html) - Подтверждает дату продолжения заседания (24.08.2026) и факт рассмотрения дела Мудрой в ВАКС.
- [Court chose a preventive measure for a former People's Deputy in the "Forrest Gump" case: new ...](https://www.obozrevatel.com/rozsliduvannya/sud-izbral-meru-presecheniya-byivshemu-narodnomu-deputatu-po-delu-forest-gamp-poyavilis-novyie-podrobnosti.htm) - Подтверждает ход судебных заседаний по делу «Форест Гамп», избрание меры пресечения для одного из фигурантов.
- ["Forrest Gump" and NABU's "Themis": how Ukrainians want to punish corrupt officials — survey](https://focus.ua/politics/765280-specoperaciya-nabu-ukraincy-vystupayut-za-smertnuyu-kazn-za-korrupciyu-opros) - Предоставляет контекст общественной реакции и результатов опроса по делу.
- [Forrest Gump case: Metrostroi head Elizarov sent into custody](https://fakty.com.ua/ru/ukraine/20260821-sprava-forest-gamp-kerivnyka-metrobudu-yelizarova-vidpravyly-pid-vartu/) - Подтверждает факт избрания меры пресечения для Елизарова 21.08.2026 и общую хронологию дела.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who is Iryna Mudra and what is she accused of?
**A:** Iryna Mudra is the former Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. According to NABU and the SAP, she is accused of participating in an organized group and aiding in the legalization of funds worth 150 million UAH. The criminal prosecution is at the stage of judicial consideration at the VACS; no verdict has been delivered.

### Q: Why did Masay Nayem's participation in the defense cause a scandal?
**A:** In the past, in one of his interviews, Masay Nayem stated that he would not take on cases involving the embezzlement of budget funds. When his firm "Miller" took on the defense of Mudra, social media users pointed to the discrepancy between these statements and his current practice. Nayem himself cites the constitutional right to a defense and the presumption of innocence.

### Q: What preventive measure is being sought for Mudra and when will the decision be made?
**A:** The SAP is asking to choose detention for Iryna Mudra with an alternative bail of 150 million UAH. The continuation of the VACS hearing on this issue is scheduled for 24 August 2026.

### Q: What is the "Forrest Gump" case?
**A:** This is the name of a special NABU operation within which, on 19 August 2026, measures were carried out against a number of persons, including former state officials and representatives of the business community. The case is being heard by the VACS, and the figures have been charged with organizing a criminal group and laundering funds.